Ramis chooses Wigan and Martinez

02 August 2012 07:47

Wigan have completed the signing of Ivan Ramis on a three-year contract from Real Mallorca for an undisclosed fee.

The 27-year-old defender looked set to join West Ham after the La Liga side posted an article on their website saying they had accepted an offer from the Hammers and the player was heading to London for a medical.

However, Ramis elected to join Wigan and chairman Dave Whelan believes his manager Roberto Martinez should be the one credited with persuading the centre-half to move to the north west. He told ESPN: "It's down to the influence of Roberto."

Whelan added: "The player doesn't speak English and didn't want to go to West Ham, who had already agreed a deal.

"But Roberto asked me to go out to Mallorca where I met their chairman and with the club in receivership, they accepted my offer and then I went to see the player."

Ramis has made 103 league appearances for Mallorca since his debut in 2004 and is Martinez's second summer signing after the Latics brought in Fraser Fyvie.

Although West Ham missed out on Ramis they completed the signing of James Collins from Aston Villa on Wednesday after the Wales defender agreed a four-year contract, three seasons after leaving Upton Park for the midlands.